One Dark and Stormy Night
by JustaFanGrell
Summary: Our travelers arrive in a new forest-covered world, but while they search for shelter from a powerful storm a mysterious beast watches them. Then a mysterious illness strikes quickly and there is little they can do to cure it.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer:

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle characters' copyright held by the ever AWESOME CLAMP folks and the various character's other respective owners. I make no claims to their ownership. You know the routine...

It was a dark and stormy night...

Grass, wet with the fresh rain, was flexed into waves by the storm's winds. As the tempest raged on, a small spot of light began to twinkle near the center of the meadow. Quickly it grew larger with each passing second, until it could take no more. Popping as if a bubble, it revealed an unlikely group of travelers. Cursing under his breath, the largest of the group took stock of their surroundings quickly with a well-practiced eye. "We should move to cover quickly!" he yelled at the others, hoping his voice carried over the shrieking of the storm. Nodding in agreement was all the others could manage... it took almost all their concentration just to keep upright in the gale.

"Put your backs into it! This way!" he yelled. Within mere moments of arriving, they were all drenched to the bone and shivering against the cold wind. They all fell into step behind the tall one who had taken charge of the situation, hoping that his body would at least block some of the wind and make the going easier. He moved with purpose, his strength evident in his stride despite the conditions. The others were not faring as well, but managing to somehow keep up with him. He had spied a likely spot in the tree line as they arrived, and once rounding up his comrades, made a bee-line in that direction.

What would have taken no time at all on just about any other day, took them what felt like an eternity this night. The smallest of the group was really having a difficult time of it, and the others did what they could to help, but it slowed their progress. Turning to check on them, the tall one cursed again. He knew the longer they took to get to cover, the longer it would take to get them warmed back up and dry. Assuming that the cover he sought actually materialized, that is.

Once they gained the tree line, conditions improve somewhat. "Take cover here and let me scout around and see if I can find us somewhere to shelter for the night." the tall one said. "Alright, Kuro-Sir!" said Fai, as he tried to shelter Sakura from the elements with his cape. "Do you need my help?" asked Syaoran. "No- I think I got this." Kurogane sarcastically replied. "Stay here and keep'em safe." he added quietly.

Movement from within Syaoran's cloak drew his attention before he could head out. He rolled his eyes. "What now, Pork-Bun? I'm cold, wet, and NOT in the mood for any funny business..." Kurogane grumbled. Mokona peeked out from within her hiding spot. "Mokona will try and sense a feather!" she proudly announced. "Good idea, Captain Obvious..." Kurogane mumbled, barely audible to the others. He rolled his eyes, turned, and strode away through the underbrush, leaving the others to fend for themselves for the moment.

They huddled together, crouching close to the ground to reduce their exposure to the storm. Syaoran threw his large cape over them on the windward side to help try and keep them dry, although how much good it did was debatable. It did help to lessen the bite of the wind. "What beautiful weather greeted us upon our arrival!" Fai commented, with a twinkle in his eye. "I don't c-care." Sakura managed to squeak between chattering teeth. "I just want to get w-warm!"

Just as she said that, a fresh wave of shivers gripped her body. Fai tried to get as close as he could to her, and wrapped his cloak around the both of them. "No doubt Kuro-Crockett will find us shelter, and we will be as toasty as a bug-in-a-rug in no time!" Fai told her. "Just hang on a bit longer, he hasn't let us down yet, and I doubt he will start now." Sakura wanted to believe, but she was too cold to even think straight. A small whimper was all she could manage.

"I hope he hurries up- we are not prepared to deal with this!" Fai said to Syaoran. Syaoran nodded in agreement, scanning the area of the woods where Kurogane had disappeared, watching for his return. "At least we didn't end up in a lake this time!" Fai joked. "But I guess we are just about as wet as if we had."

Mokona looked around, hopping in a little circle to better direct her senses. "Feel anything yet?" Fai asked, hopeful for at least something positive to help keep them going. "Mokona is very sorry, Fai-san. But Mokona doesn't sense anything right now." The small, white creature said sadly. "That's ok, Mokona-chan. I'm sure we just need to explore a little before we come across another feather!" Syaoran nodded in agreement. "Hopefully by then this storm will have moved on. I hope Kurogane is successful in finding us shelter soon. Sakura doesn't look like she can take much more of this!"

With concern still etched on his face, Syaoran turned and resumed his watch over the woods. _It is impossible to see anything coming in this storm! He had better hurry up. Who knows what danger could be lurking just out of sight, waiting for its moment to strike! _

A cold feeling of dread began to creep up his spine, making his hairs stand on end. Something definitely _was_ out there. He could feel its gaze drilling into them, watching their every move. "Keep sharp." He told the others. "I don't like the feel of this. Something's not quite right here." His hand moved instinctively to the hilt of his sword.

The slight movement was not lost on Fai, as he too began to feel Syaoran's unease. "Mokona…" Fai said, cautiously getting the attention of the small fuzzball while still maintaining his watch of the woods surrounding them. "Will you please come and sit with Sakura-chan and help keep her warm?" Mokona moved closer to Sakura's side, snuggling against her and trying her best to stay cheery. "Mokona will keep you all toasty-warm!" she proudly announced. "And try to stay quiet too, alright?" Fai asked, as he moved to rise from where he had knelt to keep Sakura warm and protected from the wind.


	2. Chapter 2

_**JustaFanGrell**_ here-  
>You all know by now that reviews make our world go 'round!<br>So... if you feel inclined- please share with me what you think!  
>Especially since this is my <strong><em>VERY FIRST<em>** FanFic!  
>Thanks to those who have reviewed or made this a Favorite!<br>(Insert the usual Blah-blah 'I don't own TRC characters' blah blah legalese...  
>I hope you are enjoying the story thus far... More to come soon!<br>DEATH!*

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Ch. 2**

As Fai joined Syaoran, they traded knowing looks… yes, something _was_ watching them. They could feel its eyes on them, watching their every move.

_If only this storm would let up already! _Syaoran thought._ I can't see a thing through the rain, and the wind is shifting everything… I can't tell the difference between movement from the wind and movement caused by someone or some__thing__! _"I hope Kurogane-san finds shelter for us soon." Syaoran said to Fai.

He turned to ask Fai what he thought, but Fai was watching the tree line a few meters from where they had entered the forest edge. "I think I saw something move over that way." he said as he pointed in the general direction. "But I am not certain. It may have just been my over-active imagination."

Syaoran couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Well- you DO have quite the imagination, you know! I'll go take a look anyway." Fai had not meant for him to actually go and check it out- that would leave the rest of them without much defense, and he did not want to incur the samurai's wrath if he should suddenly return to find them separated, even if just by a small distance.

"No- Syaoran-kun… you and I should stick together. Present a unified front should something come at us." Fai said. He dismissively added "It was probably nothing anyway."

Hidden in the underbrush, mere feet from where Fai had thought he had seen something, _it_ waited... watching the little group with keen interest. Nothing had dared enter its forest or meadow in a long time. It absentmindedly scratched at an old battle scar on its side with a hind leg, popping off a loose scale in the process. Yes, it must be more careful… skills rusty from non-use for so long had nearly given its position away once already.

No… they would not see it again. One mistake was too many. These strangers looked to be dangerous. One does not live as long as it had without having good instincts. It was content to watch and decide for itself what these new creatures would do in its forest. Then it would decide how to deal with them, but deal with them it would.

They watched the forest edge for a few more cold, wet, and windy minutes. Whatever Fai had seen _(_or _thought he had seen)_ did not show itself again. The forest continued to be battered by the storm, branches and bushes whipping all around them.

"We should head back and check on Sakura-chan." Syaoran shouted, the wind practically ripping the words out of his mouth. "It's hard to believe it, but I think this storm is getting _stronger_! Whatever is out there is probably having as rough of a time as we are… hopefully that will keep it at bay until we can find shelter."

Despite the strength of the storm that raged, _it_ effortlessly moved over the ground and through the vegetation. It knew the lay of the land so well that, even in the darkest hour or the fiercest storm, it would not stumble or misstep. It knew every rock, blade, and branch. Years of living in the same area, walking these same paths daily, had etched it all into its memory. Stopping briefly, it shook off some of the water that had gathered on its back, drenching the nearby leaves even more. It really disliked the rain, but at least the storm would help keep its small lake full. The fish would appreciate the fresh water too, and it would appreciate the fish as well. Its stomach grumbled at the thought and its mouth watered.

Fai nodded his agreement as he gave one last glance to the spot _it_ had been. He projected his thoughts in its general direction. _Wherever you are, whatever you are, we wish you no ill…_ _please pay us no mind, we are just passing through._ He hoped, whatever manner of being was out there, that it kept itself hidden and safe throughout the storm. He turned and quickly followed Syaoran back in the direction where Mokona and Sakura were huddled.

_It_ stopped in its tracks as the thought met its mind. _That is… interesting. _It turned its head to gaze back at where the new creatures had been. _I must contemplate the meaning of this new development..._ it thought. _Interesting indeed._


	3. Chapter 3

_**JustaFanGrell**__ saying 'Hello, My Lovelies!'  
>-Insert required Legal Mumbo-jumbo... HERE.-<br>Yea, the TRC characters are not mine... But the BEAST is MINE!  
>MUHAHAHAHAHA!<br>__I hope you are having a good time following along on this adventure!  
><em>_I am having fun writing it- more than I thought I would.  
><em>_Don't forget, if you would like, feel free to shoot over a quick review.  
><em>_I am writing by the seat of my pants over here!  
>My thanks to <strong>Garnet Kitsune<strong> for her invaluable TRC knowledge and for helping me TRY and avoid any OOC-ness!  
>SHE ROCKS!<br>Enjoy the next installment!  
><em>_DEATH!*__  
><em>

**One Dark and Stormy Night **

**Ch. 3**

As Fai and Syaoran returned, Mokona bounded out of the cloaks covering Sakura. "Fai-san! Mokona tried to keep Sakura-chan warm… but Sakura-chan is shivering even more than before!" Mokona's ears dripped water as she jumped up and down- concern plainly written on her face despite her nervous energy. She didn't even realize she was getting soaked again… her only concern was for her friend.

"May I assume then, that Kuro-kun has not returned yet?" Fai asked Mokona. "I had really hoped that he would have found us some shelter by now." He purposefully avoided telling Mokona about their feelings of being watched, and shot Syaoran a very stern _"Don't you mention a thing!"_ look. He didn't want to add to her obvious stress.

Syaoran briefly nodded an acknowledgement and swiftly ducked under the cloaks to be at Sakura's side. He found her still damp and barely conscious, slumped over and very much resembling a ragdoll that was carelessly dropped in a corner. _I should have stayed… _he thought to himself. _She would still be warm if I had._ _I will never forgive myself if she falls ill again! _A lump formed in his throat at the thought. _I never want to see her that sick again... She barely pulled through!_

Memories of her lying almost lifeless for days on end flooded back into his mind. The fever-induced hallucinations, the toll her illness had taken on body, mind, and spirit. He had hated the helpless feeling that consumed him as he sat by her side, day by day. Unable to help, he could only to try and comfort her. He had never left her side the entire time. Not once. He had barely eaten during the whole ordeal, and by the time she had turned the corner and began to heal, he looked almost as ragged, battered, and broken as she did. And just like the memories contained in her lost feathers, her memories of that time were also lost. Completely consumed by the flames of the fever but there would be no way for her to recover the memories of his dedication and self-sacrifice. Besides, he didn't _want _her to remember all the negative ones just to be able to recall the positive ones. It wasn't worth it. He carried the burden of both of their memories of that time by himself.

He reached out to hold her hand, as he gently smoothed a few stray hairs from her forehead where the rain had plastered them. _Oh, No. NO! Not this. Not NOW… _He gasped at the heat coming off of her forehead as a feeling of dread settled around his heart like an iron band, as if threatening to squeeze the very life from him. His hand moved quickly to her flushed cheek.

"She's burning up, Fai! What should I do? And she won't stop shivering either!" he said. All he could think about was losing her. _Not now… not after all we have been through… what we still need to do!_ He began to rub her unresponsive arms and legs, almost _willing_ the heat to leave his body if only to warm hers and stop her from shivering. _Hang in there, Sakura-chan… Stay with me. You can get past this, you HAVE TO! I am nothing without you- You are my everything…_ A single tear slid silently down his cheek, falling from his chin onto the back of her limp hand.

Fai knelt down next to them, Mokona perching on his shoulder. "Mokona tried… Mokona really did!" she implored. "We know you did everything you could, Mokona-chan… you did well!" Fai said, trying to reassure her and calm her fears. "Keep rubbing her and try to keep her circulation active, that should help warm her for now, but we need that shelter, and soon." he told the boy. He stood up to look around again, trying to catch Kurogane's return. "I do agree with you, Syaoran… I think this storm is getting worse."

_It _paid the storm little attention as it followed the barely noticeable track towards the small lake. _A little fishie or two will be a nice diversion._ it thought, as its tongue flicked over its fangs and the corners of its mouth crept into a slight smile. _It's hard to contemplate well on an empty stomach. _Its belly growled even louder than before, as if its stomach had a mind of its own and was eavesdropping on its thoughts. _Alright already! SHEESH… Good thing those creatures left to join the others, ANYONE would have heard THAT._

It paused as it reached the edge of a small clearing, making sure to stay hidden in the lower limbs of the ancient willow tree that grew on the shore of the lake. Its encounter earlier was still fresh in its mind as it looked around the forest edge and across the lake to the far shore. _Good- all is as it should be._ _Can't be too careful with THEM around… who knows what else strange may be lurking about today._ Neither seeing nor sensing anything out of the ordinary, it quickly slipped into the dark, silent waters of the lake. Even the fierce storm raging above was muted by the cool waters. A good hunt and a full belly would set things right. Then it would think over the events of the day and decide what to do about THEM.

It swam off, happily singing to itself… _I'm gonna eat you little fishie… I'm gonna eat you little fishie…'Cause I like little fishies…_


	4. Chapter 4

_**JustaFanGrell **__here again!  
>So- Which of you got the reference I included in the last chapter?<br>You know… I think I might just hide little nuggets of my favorite shows here and there as I write!  
>(HINT- They will venture outside the world of Anime and Manga! So see if you can find them!)<br>This chapter kinda took on a life of its own…  
>I wasn't planning on ending it where I did, but when it tells you it's done…<br>You have to listen!  
>Enjoy!<br>And as always- Feel free to FEED ME with reviews!  
>DEATH!*<em>_**  
><strong>_

**One Dark and Stormy Night **

**Ch. 4**

Lightning streaked across the sky and the thunder roared its response as torrents of rain continued to drench the darkened forest. The winds ripped at the leaves and grasses, as if punishing them for some unnamed transgression. Small bits of foliage danced through the sky, driven upward by the fury of the storm. Even the undersides of the rocks were soaked it was raining so hard. Water driven by the forceful gale found its way into every nook and cranny on the samurai as he made his way through the forest.

"Damn it…" he cursed, "Can't see a thing in this mess." He had hated to leave the others behind, but someone had to find shelter from this storm, and the sooner the better. He hoped that they would be alright and had stayed where he left them. "That lousy excuse for a wizard had better stay put…" he grumbled. At least the terrain was fairly flat so far, and the trees were well spaced in the forest. That aided him in his search, as if anything helped in this torrential downpour. _Aw Hell… it's like trying to see through a giant bowl of just-stirred miso soup… only a lot less tasty._ Kurogane's stomach growled loudly in protest at his thought, angry at its emptiness and feeling thoroughly ignored.

Cautiously raising its head above the water just enough to see, _it_ surveyed the shoreline before climbing from the storm-thrashed waters of the lake. Having gained the shore, it threw itself into a fit of violent shakes, trying to rid itself of the lake water that clung to its fur. _Not even sure WHY I should bother…_ and just then the rain began to increase. _Figures. _It sighed heavily and headed for its favorite spot under the old willow tree to digest and contemplate the day's events.

With a moderate _squish_ it settled itself at the base of the thick trunk, the lower limbs tickling its back with each gust of the storm's winds. _Greetings, Mother Willow._ it projected. _I hope YOU are enjoying this rain. I, on the other paw, am not particularly fond of it today. I was hoping to have another nice, sunny day to laze around on my rock again._

It liked to let its surroundings fill the void left behind by its mate's death. Otherwise its existence would be tedious and entirely too tiresome to bear. The old tree, its favorite basking rock, even the fish in the lake were its family now. They all helped keep it from sinking into irreversible despair.

It spat out the last of its catch between its paws, trying to decide if it was full or not. _Dear little fishie, dost thou wish to become my final course this ducky day? _Not really expecting a response, it just felt like a little casual conversation. _Alas, little fishie… I did __not__ know you well. _

It lifted a paw slightly and proceeded to firmly press on the side of the fish, causing the fish to emit a small *burp* of air. _Ahhh, Still good! _it declared to no one in particular. _Will not disappear… _GULP… _It disappeared! _It chuckled lightly to itself, a jovial sound much like the muted tinkling of temple bells. It sighed again. _I crack myself up sometimes…_

The monotony of its daily life had already begun to dull its mind, and quite possibly addle its brilliant intellect. Proof of that lay in the near discovery of its position earlier and its 'conversation' with its dessert. It still could not believe exactly how lax it had become in its attention to details. It sorely missed the long conversations it had enjoyed with its mate while lounging under this very tree, digesting meals of tasty fishies, and discussing all manner of topics. _Ahh… those were good times._

It crossed its front paws and laid its head on top of them, whuffing out a sigh of resignation and chastising itself for reflecting on feelings long lost. _No…_ _Focusing on the past is just a waste of time and energy and only causes heartache. _It had more than enough things to occupy its thoughts and to consider today, what with _their_ arrival. _No use adding useless things to my worries._

The rain continued its assault on Kurogane, as he began to make his way back in the direction of his friends. The way had not been difficult, and he hoped that very soon they could all be safe and dry. _If I EVER see rain like this again… _he swore to himself. At least he had some good news for them upon his return.


	5. Chapter 5

_**JustaFanGrell**__ again, my Lovelies!  
>Did you miss me? (wink-wink)<br>Sooo… Chapter Three included a reference to…  
>RED DWARF! That wonderful British space comedy with the GREATEST CAT EVER!<br>There were references in Chapter Four to TWO different works…  
>Go back and look again if you missed them!<br>So, let me know if you find any in THIS chapter!  
>As always- feel free to SHARE and Review if you feel inclined to do so!<br>DEATH*_

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Ch. 5**

Fai continued to watch for Kurogane's return while Syaoran tried to maintain Sakura's body temperature. The boy had her gingerly cradled in his arms, hugging her to his body for warmth. He tried his best to keep her off the soaked ground, and constantly had to readjust the cloaks to try and keep the rain from leaking in. The devilish gale however, seemed to have other plans for them. Several times the winds had tried to give flight to the cloaks, and only by luck was Mokona able to grab onto the edge in time to keep them from becoming kites and sailing away. Mokona sure was busy trying to keep things put, hopping back and forth as best she could while trying not to run into the pair she was working so hard to keep dry. Syaoran had focused all his attention on Sakura and had not noticed when Fai sighed with relief as he spied the samurai making his way towards them through the forest. The wet mage met Kurogane at the edge of the trees as he emerged from the undergrowth a slight bit away from the others.

His relief was palatable as he asked the question that they had all wondered since Kurogane had left earlier. "Well? Please tell me your search was successful! I need some good news about now!" His slight chuckle after speaking was lost on his companion who immediately picked up on the latter statement. "What the hell happened!" the samurai forcefully demanded. "Why do ya need good news?!"

Getting straight to the point instead of dancing around the subject as usual, Fai surprised him by stating quickly "It's Sakura. I fear that she might be ill… maybe she just became too chilled from the rain, but she isn't doing very well at the moment." His very serious tone caught Kurogane off guard. The wizard usually liked to play games when it came to telling someone something, as if he took some sick, perverted joy in making you guess what he wanted to tell you before he actually got around to finally telling you.

"Yea, I found something that'll work, and it's not too far. Should keep this damn rain off us for the night." He was relieved that he was able to find something so close by their arrival site. When he first took stock of the new world just after they arrived, he feared it may be uninhabited with nothing much of use for shelter against the storm.

Fai's shoulders sagged with relief as he heard the good news. _That's good news! Now we just have to get Sakura there and warm… give her a fighting chance._ "That's good to hear. Oh- One other thing, Kuro-scout."

Kurogane growled at Fai, thinking _Damnit, I've just about had it with him and his damn nicknames already!_ _I am NOT in the mood to deal with this shit! _

Fai noted (and just as quickly dismissed) his annoyance. He just _loved_ royally annoying the burly samurai with all manner of silly nicknames, and even in this situation, he couldn't help himself. "There is… _something out there__." _He continued, "We could feel its eyes on us most of the time you were gone, watching us. I thought I saw something once, but it may have just been the storm. We couldn't really tell through the downpour. I think we should get to your shelter as soon as we can, for both our safety and Sakura's health." Kurogane gave him an annoyed side glance. "So basically, you have no idea what or if this 'something' is still out there." He paused and then muttered "Hmph… Could be anywhere then."

Kurogane gave a quick look around at the edge of the forest (as if whatever Fai had seen would just waltz out and say 'Hello'…) and then they set off to gather up their small group and head off to the promise of shelter. Fai attempted to lighten the mood by commenting "I assume we shall have to walk, since I forgot to bring my coconuts." Kurogane just rolled his eyes and grumbled "Crazy-ass mage…" Chuckling to himself, Fai delighted in his success at annoying his stern companion, yet again.

When the pair reached the others, Fai gently placed a hand on Syaoran's shoulder. "He's back…" he said. "And he found us shelter. Are you able to carry her a bit?" he asked. Syaoran's gaze shifted from the shivering girl in his arms to Fai's expectant face. "I'll carry her for forever if that is what she needs." he plainly stated. "You know I'd do anything for her."

Fai could read the concern in his voice as well as hear the love he felt for her. Fai's heart ached for them both. Sometimes their situation weighed heavily on him. He admired the boy for his dedication and conviction when it came to Sakura. After all that they had already been through... all the troubles, pain, and trials he was still always there for her. Fai knew of all the love that Syaoran felt for her and none could be reciprocated… for she was to never remember why he was always at her side. Such a terrible price Yuko had demanded for Syaoran's wish, but a price that Syaoran had been more than happy to pay for her memories. Well, most of them, anyway.


	6. Chapter 6

_**JustaFanGrell**__ again!  
>My Editor-in-Chief Garnet Kitsune is mad at me and I think I may need to go and pout!<br>She said I sent someone OOC briefly in this chapter… I didn't think so!  
>But she is my 'TRC Expert'… Let me know if you thought I did!<br>Aaaand? The Chapter 4 'tidbits'?  
>'Someone' nailed them right off! Great job, Wolf1380!<br>(I shall call him 'Wolfie and he shall be mine, and he shall be my 'Wolfie'.)  
>One to the wonderful Hamlet, and two references to Aladdin!<br>If you like the story thus-far, take a moment and let me know before SHARING with all your friends!  
>Reviews and views make my world go 'round!<br>DEATH*_

**One Dark and Stormy Night **

**Ch. 6**

It took a moment for Syaoran to shift Sakura enough in his arms so he could get up without jostling her too much. Fai quickly reached over and grabbed his elbow to help him up. "Thank you, Fai-san." he said as Fai re-arranged their cloaks to better keep the rain off of her. Mokona hopped up onto her limp body and snuggled close to her friend. "Mokona will make sure she's comfortable and keep her warm again!" she announced.

Syaoran couldn't help but chuckle. _Mokona always tries her best to help out, even when there is really nothing much she can do._ "Thank you… Are you settled in there ok, Mokona-chan? I'm going to put you in charge of her until we get to the shelter, ok?" Mokona puffed up with pride. "Mokona will not disappoint Syaoran–kun!" she replied. Syaoran looked to his samurai friend and said "I think we are ready, Kurogane-san. Let's get her safe."

Kurogane nodded his agreement and turned to lead them back the way he had come. Syaoran followed, easily carrying Sakura and Mokona, paying particular attention to the path so as to not stumble with his precious cargo. Fai brought up the rear, shifting his gaze from left to right while scanning the forest for danger. He still couldn't get over their encounter earlier, but at least he didn't have that nagging feeling of being watched at the moment. _Maybe our luck is finally changing… _he thought.

In a flash of blinding light and a deafening roar, lightning shattered a tree only meters away. They all instantly reacted, instinctively ducking down. "SHIT! That was too damn close! This freakish storm is gettin' even _worse_!" Kurogane shouted. Fai rushed to Syaoran's side, worried that Sakura may have slipped during Syaoran's reaction to the strike and to make sure they were unhurt.

"We're ok… oh- Thank you." Syaoran told Fai as Fai adjusted a cloak's hood that had slipped. "Are you certain?" Fai inquired. "Yes, we're fine. We should keep moving though… that was _WAY _too close!" Syaoran replied- relieved that the tree that it struck was far enough away that no one had been injured. "She didn't even flinch Fai-san… that can't be good, can it?" he worriedly asked Fai. "Well, the sooner we gain shelter, the better for us all." Fai replied, intentionally being somewhat vague. He tried his best to hide his concern from the boy as he wondered just how long this storm could go on… and how strong it might eventually get.

At the lead of their little party, Kurogane resumed fighting his way through the forest, trying his best to clear a path for his companions as he went. He didn't remember it taking this long to get BACK from the ruins, but he trusted his warrior sense of direction that had yet to fail him. _Guess it's just having them taggin' along that's slowing us down. _"The terrain stays fairly flat for a little while through here. You doin' ok back there, Kid?" he yelled over his shoulder as he broke yet another drenched branch out of the way for them to pass. "I'm alright, Kurogane-san… I'm just worried about Sakura-chan. Do you know how much farther?" he asked. "Not much more, should be just over this hill a bit." the samurai told him as he sloshed his way over the near-flooded ground. "Watch your step, Kid… it's a bit slick up ahead."

Syaoran carried his precious cargo as gingerly as possible, trying not to cause her any more discomfort than necessary. The clothes between their bodies had nearly dried from the heat of her fever, despite their continued drenching from the storm. _Hang in there just a bit longer, Sakura… I'll have you warm and dry again very soon. _He bent his head down, allowing his lips to barely brush her fevered forehead, stealing a gentle, but brief, kiss.

Through the deluge, Fai began to make out the edges of the ruins Kurogane had found to serve as their shelter. Low stone walls began to rise out of the foliage, their missing stones reminding him of parapets running along the top of tall walls. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought… memories began to resurface of an icy tower that brought nothing but pain and guilt. He tried unsuccessfully to shake off the cold feeling that was creeping into his thoughts. _Death… so much death all around me. It is always there… and I am always dreaming of it, even when awake… it will never be finished._ His gait slowed as he struggled with his memories, and he dropped a bit behind his friends.

For a moment, he was alone with just the storm and his thoughts. _Why? What did we do to deserve such hate and scorn? What was so wrong with simply being born? _The waves of guilt crashed over him and he struggled to keep his mind from forcing him to relive those memories again. He shook his head; hands at his temples, eyes squeezed shut, tears threatening to join the rain dripping from his blonde locks. _NO! They have no power over me anymore! _He took a deep and ragged breath, fighting with himself. After a few moments of internal struggle, he was able to finally force the images and memories back to where they came from. Panting from the mental struggle, he regained his strict discipline and wondered how he could have lost control so easily. He thought he had locked those painful memories securely away a long time ago, and wondered why they had been able to break free. He made a mental note to rebuild the walls that held them at bay as soon as circumstances allowed him the time and energy he would need to do so. Looking up, he realized he had fallen behind and hurried to catch up.

As they entered the outskirts of what appeared to have been a small village, Kurogane motioned towards a small cluster of dilapidated stone buildings. Large vines thicker than his arm grew up the walls and under their rooflines, only to sprout again through holes in what were once roofs. Moss and grasses had taken over the streets between structures. Broken limbs and torn leaves littering the ground bore witness to the storm's fury. The forest had done a good job of reclaiming the area in the time since the village had been abandoned. Loose stones lay in small groups here, there, and all around after having been dislodged at some point from various walls. Several large trees wore houses like skirts, their branches spreading out above them, reminding Fai of some of the extravagant coiffures he had seen in fashion on some of the worlds they had visited. _Those ladies would have never been caught out in weather like this! _Fai thought to himself.

They passed by several small structures that were missing large portions of walls or roofs before they stopped at what was once a door to someone's home. Now it was just an empty shell, cast aside by time like an old, broken toy. The little house faced a small expanse of grass at the edge of the village, ringed by another dilapidated stone wall. If it hadn't been for the drenching rain, they would have been able to see a nice view over that wall, through the trees, towards a small lake a short way off. But for now, they were only interested in getting warm and dry.


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello My Dearies!  
>I hope you are all enjoying the story thus far!<br>So- Did anyone else think Syaoran was a tad OOC when he briefly kissed Sakura's forehead?  
>I wonder if anyone caught the references in Chapter 5? One to The Dark Crystal and one to Monty Python, teeheehee!<br>Not sure if I will continue them… but if one fits- I'll definitely throw it in!  
>Please keep the reviews coming- it really helps me feel like SOMEONE out there likes my writing!<br>And now… our story continues!  
>*DEATH<em>

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Ch. 7**

Once inside, Fai was pleasantly surprised to find the ruined home somewhat habitable. Well, at least it was fairly dry, which was surprising given the intensity of the near monsoon raging outside. He surveyed the single room, looking for the driest spot. "I think you should lay her over here." he said to Syaoran as he motioned towards the back wall. "It seems to be nice and dry and farthest away from the doorway and drafts. Let's get her comfortable, and then we can see about drying out the cloaks."

Mokona hopped out from under her spot under Sakura's coverings where she had settled at the start of their short trip. "Oh good…"Fai began. "Mokona-chan, do you happen to have anything with you that we could use as a pillow for Sakura-chan?" Mokona thought for a moment before replying. "Mokona thinks she does! Let Mokona check… How will this work?" and with that, she opened her mouth wide and a bright light emanated from within her. From her unexplainable storage area she produced a fluffy purple pillow and a warm looking polka-dot smiley-face covered blanket. "Mokona almost forget Mokona had this with her! It's Mokona's FAVORITE blankie!" "Excellent!" Fai exclaimed as a huge grin spread across his face. No matter what happened, he never grew tired of Mokona's amazing abilities. _Not too shabby for a fuzzy fluff-ball!_

As Syaoran carried Sakura across the room, Fai spread out the blanket and fluffed the pillow in preparation for her. _If only I had a mint…_ he chuckled, not being able to help himself. He carefully began to unwrap the soaking wet cloaks while the boy still held her, dropping the dripping coverings on the floor well away from the dry blanket. Small puddles immediately began to form in the loose dirt of the floor. Syaoran gingerly knelt down, gently placing Sakura on the blanket with extreme care. Then he lovingly pulled the blanket over her chilled, shivering body.

She briefly stirred with the added movement, her eyes fluttering open for a moment as Syaoran knelt over her. She began to randomly mumble, delirious from the fever. "Who am I? Why am I here? What is it that I'm searching for, day after day?" and weakly said his name before her eyelids slid closed again. "Shhh- just rest Sakura-chan… I'm here… we're _all_ here." He sat down next to her, ignoring everyone else, focused only on her. "You will be fine." _You have to be._ "Just rest for now."

On the other side of the room, Kurogane had been stacking the wood he had hastily gathered when he first found the place. It had been a really good idea to stash some wood inside before heading out to bring his charges back. He was pleasantly surprised to find the deadfall had even dried somewhat in his absence. He began to build a fire while watching the boy tend to Sakura. _Such tenderness at such a young age… she is lucky to have him with her. I hope she pulls through again… for his sake as much as hers._ His uncharacteristic thoughts surprised him briefly. The samurai rarely let himself get emotional about love. There was no use for emotions like that. Pain, anger, disgust, irritation… those were the emotions he understood. Manly emotions. Not the wishy-washy, lovey-dovey, sickly-sweet _loving_ emotions. He grunted in mock disgust and turned his attentions back to the task at hand. Getting the fire going would benefit them all.

After supervising the boy's actions getting Sakura settled in the blankets, Fai turned and addressed Kurogane. "How industrious of you, Kuro-Scout! How ever did you manage to light a fire in this weather?" he joked. "'Cause I know what I'm doin', ya sissy." Kurogane countered. Fai just chuckled. "You're just jealous that I'm so charmingly witty." He teased. Looking as if he was a second or two away from hurling a chunk of wood at his 'charmingly witty' companion, Kurogane growled back "Why don't you try and make yourself useful for once?!"

"Ok- Ok, Kuro-Meanie. Point taken. I think I will go see if I can find us something edible while you three warm up and dry out." Kurogane mumbled back "About damn time you actually_ do _somethin'…."

Not wanting to give Kurogane the satisfaction of a response, Fai picked up his soaked cloak from the pile and addressed Syaoran's back, not wanting to draw the boy's attention away from Sakura more than needed. "I'll be back soon, Syaoran-kun. I'm going to go and find us something to eat." Syaoran quietly replied "Good luck, Fai-san." "Mokona- Keep an eye on them all for me, Ok?" Fai cheerily said. With that he turned with a flourish, donned his still-dripping cloak flamboyantly, and departed through the waterfall of rain that was gushing off of the eaves of the roof.

Once outside, he let his expression droop and his shoulders slouch a bit. _It's hard to always appear cheery and happy… especially in situations like this. But if __I__ don't, no one will. It's worth the extra effort to give them hope. _He surveyed his surroundings and evaluated his options. _I doubt that anything edible remains within the village..._ He sighed as he tried to decide what direction his best bet for finding something edible would be. His eyes fell to the little yard and the forest beyond. _That's as good a direction as any I guess._

He headed for the tree line, squishing across the grass and jumping over the crumbling stone wall. A strong gust caught his cloak just as he was landing on the far side of the wall, causing him to slip and almost fall. He caught himself at the last moment with one hand on the top rock, barely avoiding the huge mud puddle at the base of the wall. He reflexively looked over his shoulder, hoping that Kurogane had not witnessed his most un-graceful landing. He knew he would never hear the end of it if he had! Luckily he didn't see anyone in the doorway to bear witness to his rare moment of clumsiness.

Just a short way into the forest he found a well hidden track, the kind an animal makes as it passes down the same path regularly. Deciding to follow it, he hoped it might lead him somewhere promising. After just a short distance, the path opened up at the shore of a small lake. Through the heavy downpour he thought he could just make out the form of a grand willow tree on the far shore.


	8. Chapter 8

_WOW… this last week was a SLOW one!  
>WHERE'D EVERYONE GO?! Was it something I wrote?<br>I hope everyone was just on vacation…  
>Are you wondering about the lake and the willow tree?<br>It sounds VERY familiar, doesn't it? Ok- So  
>I had some fun with Fai in this chapter- (Sorry Fai!)<br>ENJOY!  
><em>_**JustaFanGrell**__  
>DEATH!*<em>

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Ch.8**

Hoping he might find some form of mollusk at the water's edge, Fai appraised the shoreline nearest him. He noticed a large, flat rock that jutted out over the wind-whipped waves angrily attacking the shore. Thinking he might gain the advantage of height for his search, he climbed onto the rock. Peering over the edge, he was surprised to find an eddy in the crook of the rock's base. And there, easily within reach, were several decently large fish attempting to shelter from the storm in the stillness formed by the lee of the stone. Perhaps, he might be able to just grab them- they seemed to be within reach.

"Ha-HA!" exclaimed Kurogane, as the fire he had so carefully nursed along finally caught and began to crackle merrily, emitting little sizzles, wheezes, and pops every now and then as the water-soaked wood began to dry out. A broad grin stretched across the burly man's face. "Figures that crazy wizard 'aint here to see…" he grumbled, even though his silly grin was still in place. "Should be toasty-warm in here in no time." he said in Syaoran's direction.

Syaoran threw a half-hearted "Thanks, Kurogane-san." over his shoulder as he continued to do what little he could to keep Sakura somewhat comfortable. Seeing his companion in such pain over the girl's condition caused his grin to falter. _Damnit. One decent step forward never seems to get us very far._

Kurogane stood up and walked over to the pile of wet cloaks. He picked up one and walked over to the wall a few feet from the door and hung it on a few stones that were conveniently jutting out a bit more than their neighbors. With a slight nod and a raised brow, he admired his handiwork for a moment before returning for the other cloak. "Ugh…" he grunted, as he realized how much dirt had clung to the cloak that had been on the bottom of the pile. He carried it over to the doorway and did his best to hold it out into the roof's runoff in an attempt to rinse off some of the dirt-now-mud that had caked onto the cloth, without soaking himself in the process. After the rough rinse-job, he did his best to hang it next to the other one already residing on the wall.

As the samurai turned around, his eye caught the look of despair on the boy's face as the firelight danced across Syaoran casting his flickering shadow onto the stones behind him. The samurai sighed a little, his mind thinking of a day not so long ago, back to a warm spring afternoon when the two young ones had happily chased each other through gently falling cherry blossoms in the fading sunlight, giggling with youthful joy. It had been a day of leisure, a happy day for all of them to just rest and relax. There seemed to be very few of those lately. Their luck seemed to have been accidentally left behind a few worlds back.

He walked over and sat down with a 'hmpfh' next to the pair, and leaned against the cold stone wall. "Good… I had hoped the fire's heat woulda made it over here, but not be too hot on ya. Maybe it'll help dry ya out some." A brief nod was all the response he got from the boy. He reached out and placed his hand on Syaoran's shoulder. "She'll be ok… she's a fighter. Ya know that already. Try not to worry too much."

Fai lay down across the smooth stone and snuck slowly towards the edge. He peered over the edge to see if the fish were still there. Upon verifying that they had not moved from their safe spot, he deftly reached out and snatched up one of the fish, surprising even himself to the point of almost dropping it. _HUZZAH! _he thought, as he cheered his own victory. After many more repeated attempts (some successes, but mostly failures) he had successfully secured several nice sized fish on a piece of cord he had pulled from a pocket in his cloak. As he arose from lying prone on the rain-slickened stone to fish, his hand slipped slightly. "WHOOPS!"

SPLASH!

Fai found himself sitting in waist-deep water next to the rock he was just on. _GREAT. Just great. As if I wasn't SOAKED ENOUGH. _He sighed heavily. Luckily he had maintained his grip on the hastily-fashioned stringer of fish, although the fish seemed very happy to have been returned to the water so quickly. _Sorry little ones… no such luck for you today… although I __am__ grateful for your sacrifice for my friends and I. _

He was able to climb back out of the water and easily gain the shoreline, water flowing out of his clothes and finding its way back into the lake. _At least I'm not any more DRENCHED now than I already was from this storm! _That thought cheered him a little as he realized his friends would not really be able to tell of his awkward, yet brief dip in the lake. _Well, they'll never know that the rain, isn't really to blame…_

As he turned to head back and deliver dinner, the familiar and eerie feeling of being watched returned. He looked over his shoulder to see if he could determine from where this feeling emanated. The rain ruined all possibility of seeing more than a few meters. Interestingly, he felt the same presence from earlier too. Quickly turning with his catch in hand, he sought the safety of the woods and the path back to his friends. Just as he re-entered the woods, a fresh track in the mud caught his eye. _That is most assuredly NOT mine._ So his feeling may have been right… some_thing_ was out there,and by the look of the paw print, this _something_ was quite large and had rather long and sharp claws_._


	9. Chapter 9

_Helloooo, my Lovelies!  
><em>_**JustaFanGrell **__back again with the next chapter!  
>Let me know what you thought of the happenings at the lake in the previous chapter-<br>I always enjoy reading reviews!  
>Thanks so much for all the reviews thus far-<br>And have a great End-of-the-Summer weekend!  
>See you next chapter!<br>DEATH*_

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Ch. 9**

_It_ had watched the antics with glee as Fai attempted to catch fish. _It_ thought that the creature was very smart to think of using the stone to find his prey, although it was obviously not used to hunting in that manner. When Fai had actually _caught one_, its hackles had involuntarily raised. Momentarily angry at the poaching, it calmed itself with the knowledge that there were plenty of _little fishies_ in its lake. It guessed that there was no harm in sharing a few of them with someone as resourceful as that creature had been.

Intrigued by the reappearance of the creatures and curious to learn about the one whose thoughts it had heard before, it determined that it would be prudent to learn more about the strangers.

Fai's disturbing feeling continued to plague him all the way back to the ruins, only slightly diminishing just after he crossed the stone wall back into the little yard. He gave one last, long look at the forest before ducking back through the roof's wall of water and inside the house.

_It_ stopped just short of the forest edge, knowing its curiosity was not great enough to cause it to risk being seen. It didn't like being in such close proximity to the ruins. It remembered how the previous inhabitants had treated it, and how they had poached so many fish from its lake that _they_ had almost wasted away one summer. Just then, the one it was following stopped at the opening to the house, turned, and looked _right at it_. Instinct caused it to freeze unmoving, as if a statue.

Obviously _it_ had not been seen, as the creature had not reacted, turning back and entering the shelter. _It_ settled in a good spot with a clear view of the doorway, blinking rain from its eyes and shaking its head again. _ I think it best to watch and think about the situation for a while._ For a moment, its mind began to wander…_ I can't wait for this storm to break, I've had enough of water in my… everything. _It thought about how nice it would be to sun itself on the rock by the lake, thrumming quietly at the happiness that idea brought and almost _feeling_ the warmth of the sun on its fur and scales.

"TA-DAA!" Fai flamboyantly announced as he stepped back into the house, stringer of fish proudly displayed in-hand. "No 'Rat Soup, again!' tonight!" he declared happily, his trademark grin and giddiness back in place. "At least not for the third night, anyway." He had hoped that his triumphant return would help bolster their spirits a bit. However, Syaoran barely reacted as he tenderly dabbed a damp cloth across Sakura's feverish forehead. Kurogane just rolled his eyes and simply stated "It's about damn time… took ya long enough!"

He didn't let their lack of enthusiasm dampen his apparently cheery outlook. He set the fish and his drenched cloak down near the door and made his way over to where Sakura rested, Syaoran ever attentive at her side. Gently placing a hand on the boy's shoulder he softly asked "How is she?" Syaoran took a deep breath before answering. "About the same, I think. Nothing I have done seems to help." Fai contemplated Syaoran's answer for a moment before responding to the boy. "Well that can be a good thing, right?" he said, hoping it came out more positive sounding than it felt as he said it. "I guess so." was Syaoran's simple, listless response.

"Hey- Can you do us a favor Syaoran-kun?" Fai asked him. "I caught some fish for our dinner. Could you please cook them for us?" Syaoran looked up at Fai dejectedly, and with little emotion answered "Sure, Fai-san. I'll do my best." Mokona happily chimed right in. "Mokona can help too! Chef Mokona has Super Secret cooking techniques Mokona can use!" That seemed to give the boy some hope and he agreed to let her help him with the task. "I'll be right back, so don't worry." he softly said to Sakura just before getting up.

After Syaoran had started preparing the fish with Mokona's experthelp, Fai pulled Kurogane aside. "Remember that feeling of being watched?" he quietly asked. "Yea, So… What of it?" Kurogane answered, interest beginning to show in his eyes. "While catching the fish in a little lake near here, I got that same feeling again." Fai explained. "What do ya make of it?" the samurai asked, wondering if this could become a problem. "I'm not quite sure yet… but I doknow the feeling remained the whole way back and only lessened slightly just before I entered with the fish." The samurai took a moment to digest this new information as his glance shifted to the doorway.

"And another thing…" Fai continued. "I found a rather large, clawed paw print on the path leading back from the lake."


	10. Chapter 10

**JustaFanGrell says:  
><strong>I can hardly believe that I find myself posting CHAPTER 10!  
>A BIG THANK YOU to all of you who have read ODaSN!<br>I hope everyone is still enjoying the story…  
>There is still more to come-<strong><br>DEATH***

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Ch. 10**_** (WOW… REALLY… Chapter TEN?!)**_

_Its_ finely tuned hearing caught Fai's last statement and grabbed its attention. _Eavesdropping really comes in handy sometimes. _it thought, just before realizing exactly _what_ had been said.

"Sounds like whatever it is could be dangerous." Kurogane quietly replied. He looked over at the boy and pork-bun who seemed to be arguing over the best ways to cook the fish. "I should go out and '_take_ _care of it'_ before it becomes a problem. No telling what it may be capable of."

_Its _hackles stood straight up and a low growl began deep in its chest as it realized what had been suggested. _I will NOT be 'Taken care of' like some lowly BEAST! _Slowly, its anger began to cloud its view with a red-tinted mist and its claws dug deep into the squishy loam under its feet. A long time ago, the villagers had _tried_ to 'take care of _it'_ several times… all to no avail, each time losing many men to its slashing claws and sharp fangs. Only once had they succeeded in 'taking care of' what they had perceived as a threat, and its mate had paid the ultimate price for its inability to stop them before they had struck the death blow.

The villagers had eventually reaped what they had sown that day. The beast had returned a short time later and exacted its revenge upon the whole of the village. So deeply it had been lost in its despair it knew not what it had done, until the last of the villagers had fallen to its grief-driven rage. But not even a village full of blood-soaked revenge had been able to bring back its mate, or lessen its grief in even the slightest way. Ever since that day it had been truly alone… the very last of its kind.

It quickly began to form a plan of attack in its mind… _They will rue the day that they set foot in MY forest! _Its claws gouged the earth and its tail whipped from side to side as it began to salivate in expectation of the battle ahead.

Inside, Fai laid a hand on the samurai's chest. "No, Kuro-General. Let's not be hasty. We have no idea what its demeanor may be. I don't want us to kill something for no reason… that would be a terrible thing to do, just because it _might _hurt us. Besides, I felt a strange presence of another mind at the same time I felt watched. They may be connected. We should take time to find out more before taking any hasty actions that we may regret."

Outside in the pouring rain it was poised for a fight, ready at any moment to leap the wall and rend them all to shreds. It listened in as Fai pleaded his case. Even on the verge of attack, its intelligence ruled over its hate and stalled its actions. It already knew of the one's ability to send thoughts that it could understand. Maybe that one was the smartest of them all. It agreed with that one's sentiment, and took a step back to think again about the situation. It shook its head and blinked several times as if two parts of its mind were fighting each other for control. A few tense moments and one last head shake later and the beast decided. _I too, do not condone killing just for killing's sake._ _I will stay my claws and await their final decision. And should they attack, they WILL regret it!_ It took a deep breath and attempted to calm itself as it waited for the end of their discussion and the decision on their course of action.

Kurogane countered- "No- ya wimpy mage! We must strike first while the iron is hot and avoid the attack altogether! It's not worth the risk- it's MY job to protect! If someone wants to hurt you guys, I'll kill 'em FIRST… and ask questions later!"

"NO." Fai forcefully said. The stern look of warning on the magician's face caught the ninja off guard. "We must NOT attack first, Kurogane. We do not visit a new world and murderthe first sentient being we encounter_! _It would be an unnecessary and needless death."Fai understood protecting them against danger… _But is this being even dangerous? _

It could hardly believe the conviction he felt in the smart one's words. _This one is very intelligent, unlike the loud one who seems to be more of a brute than anything else. _It snorted its disgust at the thought. There had already been way too many brutes in this village… it could hardly stand the thought of even _ONE _more inhabiting it, even if only temporarily.

That final statement Fai spoke stopped the samurai in his tracks. His mind raced back to what seemed a lifetime ago, when someone else had uttered words such as these.

_He was back in Nihon again, arguing with Tomoyo-hime. "I want to be stronger than anyone else! I don't care who lives or dies!" he screamed. Then she had told him she was sending him away, that he would probably meet new people, and there find the true meaning of strength. And then she cursed him, "So you won't kill needlessly anymore. From this moment on, unnecessary death will be forbidden to you."_

_That's how this had all started._ _Have I learned NOTHING since then?_ he wondered. It was as if Fai's words had flipped a switch inside him and his will to fight began to dissolve. Kurogane sighed heavily at Fai's words as they sunk in. "Yea… you're right. I won't kill for no reason anymore. Tomoyo-hime made sure of that. But I 'aint gonna be responsible or guarantee I won't kill it the first chance I get if it attacks!" he sternly warned his companion.

Although very surprised at Kurogane's sudden change of heart, Fai was still relieved to hear his friend agree with him. Lightly laughing at the samurai's very stern look and patting him on the back, Fai jovially replied "Fair enough, Kuro-Guardian. Fair enough! Now... let's go see what Syaoran-kun and Mokona-chan have prepared for our fine supper!"

Waiting in the mud and slowly lowering its hackles, it felt slight relief in the outcome of their discussion. There had been too much death and waste already in this village. It may be a beast, but it actually disliked hostilities… _I'm really a lover, not a fighter. But I will stand my ground and take care of business if I must. _It would continue to warily watch and wait… its curiosity had been aroused. Besides, 'that one's' intelligence and strong mind was too intriguing not to stay.


	11. Chapter 11

_**JustaFanGrell**__ here-  
>Thanking you for continuing to read my story!<br>And a big WELCOME to any new readers! Ooo- I think the story will be getting interesting very soon!  
>So, TELL YOUR FRIENDS! There is still time for 'newbies' to catch up with us.<br>Consider posting a review and letting me know what you think!  
>Thanks again to my AWESOME editor and all-around TRC Expert, <em>_**GarnetKitsune**__!  
>(You should go check out her stories too)<br>Until next chapter-  
>DEATH*!<em>

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Ch. 11**

As they gathered around the fire to eat their meager meal, the mood was not a very cheery one. Rain continued to fall in sheets as the winds howled, but their shelter remained fairly dry and warm. They ate in silence, listening to the storm rage outside, each reflecting on the day in their own way.

Syaoran gave up first, after just picking halfheartedly at his portion of fish. He was just too worried to have any appetite. He picked up the small cup of broth that he and Mokona had made from Sakura's fish and carried it over to her. He hoped she would be able to sip some… he knew she definitely wasn't in shape to eat anything. He settled onto the floor by her head, and gently lifted her so she lay slightly propped up in his lap. He tenderly smoothed her bangs from her damp forehead and placed the back of his hand gently against her cheek. Her skin still blazed with fever, yet she stirred slightly at his touch.

"Sakura-chan..." he called to her. "Can you wake up for a moment for me? I fixed you some broth to sip, if you are hungry." A slight moan was all the response he got from her. "Please, Sakura-chan… you need to drink something. It will help you feel better." Despite his continued urging, the girl remained limp in his arms, her chest softly rising and falling with each shallow breath she took. He looked over to his friends still gathered around the fire finishing their meal. His eyes met Fai's, and he tried to convey all of his worry and concern in a single glance.

Although the matter of the 'something out there' had been settled for the time being, Fai knew Sakura's health was their main problem now. He had hoped that getting her warm and dry would have helped her to feel better. Instead, it seems that her condition had only worsened as the day wore on. After tossing his fish bones into the fire, he roused himself from the warm embrace of the flames and joined Syaoran at her side.

"I feel useless." The boy quietly admitted to his friend. "Nothing I have done for her has seemed to make an ounce of difference."

Fai tried to console Syaoran, telling him "You are here for her… even if what you can do doesn't seem like much now, she knows you are here. I know she hears your words, even if she may not react now or even remember them when she gets better." He reached out and smoothed a wrinkle in the blanket by her shoulder and slightly tucked the end under her arm. "Just talk to her. Let her know you are with her, that you are doing what you can to get her better. Continue to give her Hope."

He looked into Syaoran's saddened face and said "We will make sure she gets better, Syaoran-kun… I swear it. Hold her to you, she is a part of you, as we are all part of each other." Fai did his best to calm the boy's fears. "And try and get some rest yourself… it's been a long and stressful day. Tomorrow… things will be better, you'll see."

Syaoran couldn't help but yawn in spite of the situation. All too suddenly he felt the stress of the day descend on him, sucking out what little energy he had been able to hold onto. "Ok, Fai-san. Tomorrow… will…be…" but he nodded off before he could finish his thought. Fai gently took the cup from Syaoran's hand before it could spill, and adjusted Sakura's blanket again so that it covered the two of them better before rising and walking across the room to gaze out of the doorway.

"How are the kids doin'?" Kurogane inquired, as Fai passed by the fire. "He's hanging in there, but she's having a rough go of it still." he replied with a resigned sigh. "Maybe tomorrow her fever will break, at least we can hope it will…"

Fai stopped at the edge of the doorway and looked out across the small yard, watching the rain. _Is it my imagination, or is the rain slacking off a bit? _He reflected on the possible change to the weather and began to hum a sad tune to himself… one he had not thought of in a long time. The haunting melody wound its way around the small room, filling the small space and spilling out into the rainy night. His melody faltered for just a moment when he realized the strange presence from earlier had returned. Although surprised, he was not frightened by it. Skipping only a beat or two before continuing, he poured all of his sorrow and sadness into the song.

Behind the stone wall, _It_ rested, continuing to observe the small group as the evening progressed, thinking on the events of the day, and trying to decide what to do about them. As Fai reached the door and began to hum his melody, the beast inched slowly back so as not to be discovered. Then it stopped, transfixed by the song as Fai's sorrow and sadness flowed out from the doorway, born along by the sweet yet somber notes of the melody. It couldn't help but be drawn into the music, and soon it began to thrum quietly along, softly mirroring Fai's melody with its own. It closed its eyes and felt itself reach out to the thoughts drifting across the yard contained within the notes.

Glimpses of other worlds began to fill its head with scenes of other beings and places, some bizarre and alluring while others were rather mundane, yet always seeming to include these particular strange creatures… all except one. It marveled at the realization that these images could only be memories from this one, being shared across the small expanse of grass between them.

_How marvelous, these images I see… the experiences they have had and how many different places they have been in their lifetimes. _It was truly enjoying the experience… one so very much like the way it had shared its thoughts with its mate so long ago. As the song concluded, the images ended as abruptly as they had begun leaving nothing but emptiness and a sad, endless longing in their wake.


	12. Chapter 12

_Hullo again, Dearies!  
>It's been a while, so I think I need to insert this again…<br>_**Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle characters' copyright held by the ever AWESOME CLAMP folks and the various character's other respective owners. I make no claims to their ownership**. (_but THE BEAST IS MINE! MUHAHAHAH! Oh, and it's my story too) _You know the routine... _  
><em>_Enjoy this next installment!  
>DEATH!*<em>

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Chapter 12**

As Fai ended his melody, he could still feel the other presence lingering. _Perhaps, if I were to try again…_ Fai began to focus and direct his thoughts towards the forest as he had earlier when he first felt this strange connection.

_I know you are out there, whoever you are. I can feel your presence and know your eyes watch us. We mean you no harm, but my companion is worried. It is his job to protect us, and I do not want a simple misunderstanding to cause pain or suffering. We are simply travelers who are passing through this world. I wonder, are you friend or foe? Are you merely curious about us, or do you wish to do us harm?_

"Oi- crazy wizard! Ya just gonna stand there all night or what?" interrupted the samurai.

_So much for hopes of a nice civil conversation…_ thought Fai, as he turned to head back to the fire. "I'm coming, Kuro-kunie… don't get wound up so tight! It's bad for your complexion!" Fai hoped he had reached whatever was out there waiting for them. _I guess only time will reveal the answer to that…_

Kurogane offered to take the first watch as Fai returned from the doorway. "The kids are asleep and that useless pork-bun waddled over there and crashed too… why don't you go grab some shut-eye? I got this for now."

Fai thanked his friend and added "Come and wake me when you feel the need to rest… and don't be stubborn about it either." he said, as he gave Kurogane a wink and a smile. He headed over to where the others were sleeping, and settled down nearby, leaning against the wall for support. He watched as their protector was bathed in the firelight, and thanked the Universe for having such good friends to travel with. Even with all the hardships they had endured, he was still glad to be traveling with them. Within moments, his eyes began to slide closed as he also drifted off to sleep.

Out by the rain-soaked forest edge, the beast waited as the creatures prepared for the night. It reflected upon the visions it had seen during the song and wondered about the abilities of the intelligent one. Just then, it heard the thoughts of the smart one enter its mind.

_I know you are out there, whoever you are. I can feel your presence and know your eyes watch us. We mean you no harm, but my companion is worried. It is his job to protect us, and I do not want a simple misunderstanding to cause pain or suffering. We are simply travelers who are passing through this world. I wonder, are you friend or foe? Are you merely curious about us, or do you wish to do us harm?_

Shaking the rain off of its head, it looked up at the storm clouds, squinting its fiery-orange eyes as if able to discern the intentions of the clouds above by simply gazing up at them. _Hmm… I do believe the rain is beginning to let up a bit… _Perhaps there was some hope that tomorrow it might be able to sun itself on its rock and begin to dry out after all. It blinked the rain from its eyes as it returned its attention to the shelter and the now lone figure sitting beside the fire and the events of the day. _Perhaps, _it thought, _if he could send thoughts, might he be able to receive them back? _It wondered if it could communicate as it used to with its mate… _Might be worth a shot. At best, perhaps I can find out what they want and why they are here… at the worst, it might provide me some entertainment._

It closed its eyes and rested its head on its neatly crossed front paws, relaxing itself and letting its mind go blank. After a few moments and several slow and deep breaths, it hesitantly reached out its mind while feeling for another presence… one that matched the intelligent one's.

First it encountered a prickly, dark, and hostile force; one that definitely did NOT want to be bothered at all. _Ahh… Figures…this would be the brute standing watch._ Quickly passing him by, it continued to reach out, gently probing its way through the room, looking for the specific feel of the mind who spoke earlier.

The next thing it knew, its mind had entered a whirlwind of an infinite number of strange images and sounds, all wildly flying around in no particular order… as if everything had been sucked up into a tornado. Curiously enough, most of the images seemed to be of the same type of creature… something that somewhat resembled a very well-fed version of a long-eared animal it had seen many times before, hopping around in its forest. There also seemed to be a loud and rambunctious song in the background, and the more it thought about it, the more the creatures all seemed to be dancing to the song in unison. _Nope… Not this one either. This… is… rather disturbing._ It hastily moved on, its ears still ringing from the noise.

_No, this one is far too innocent. _it thought, as it encountered the boy's gentle aura. It saw the depths of despair and worry wrapped in layers around this mind. It couldn't help but feel his love and devotion for the female sleeping in his embrace, and its heart ached in sympathy for him as it moved on to continue its search.

When it encountered Sakura's mind next, the strangeness of it caused the beast to pause. _There is something very wrong with this little one… more than just a passing illness._ Its curiosity piqued, it gently pushed against her mind and found surprisingly little resistance. _Can they even tell how far this one has slipped, how perilously close to the edge of the abyss she has fallen?_ it wondered. _The other young one is right to be worried about her._

As it explored her subconscious, it encountered large voids in her mind, gaps of inky darkness the likes of which the beast had never encountered before. It could only imagine what could have caused them, the amount of sheer power a trauma so large as to rend a mind to such pieces would take. It hastily yet tenderly withdrew its contact, not wanting to cause any more problems. It wondered what that poor being had been through to fracture a mind so completely and how one could even survive and function with such substantial damage. It decided then and there, should it be able to make contact, it would have to inform them of it and see if it could do anything to help mend the damage and heal her. Its compassionate side would not allow anything less.

As its mind wandered from being to being, it was surprised at the vast differences between each of them. That had not been expected. _My,my… but aren't these strangers just a fountain of curiosities!_ So far things had gone fairly easily, and it was shocked at how little of a barrier they all had for their mental defenses. Just then its mind slammed into what seemed to be a solid wall, stopping it in its tracks.

_Now __this__ one will be interesting! _it thought, as it began to get excited at the challenge this mind posed. _Ah, yes- this would be the one I am searching for. Very formidable defenses, built up over time. This will be a tough nut to crack… _and it settled in for the long haul.

As the night wore on, the beast continued to probe Fai's mind, looking for a weakness that would allow it to enter. Inside and peacefully resting alongside his companions, Fai began to dream.

_He walked along the shore of a calm lake, enjoying the fine weather and wondering what exciting things the promise of a new day would bring. Cherry blossoms danced in the breeze as the birds chirped merrily from the treetops. He paused briefly to listen to the gentle lapping of the water against the shoreline and the slight rustle of his clothing in the breeze. Although alone, he felt relaxed, wrapped in a serene sense of calmness and self-awareness and soaking in the warmth of the sun and the auras of the creatures and plants around him. All was peaceful and beautiful here, and he felt whole and complete once more._


	13. Chapter 13

_**Justafangrell**__ back again-  
>Here comes another installment of One Dark and Stormy Night!<br>Are my Lovelies ready for it?!  
>As always- feel free to SHARE, FAVORITE, FOLLOW, andor REVIEW the story!  
>I love hearing from everyone! The more the merrier!<br>DEATH!*_

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Chapter 13**

Much like a rat finding itself outside a castle's grain room and desperate to get in, the beast poked and prodded every little nook and cranny that it could find in Fai's defensive wall hoping to find a way in. _This IS a challenge! This one's defenses are indeed very good… it may take some time and considerable effort to crack this vault. _It was thrilled to finally have a worthy challenge set before it. However, time after time, it failed to break through and grew more and more frustrated with each consecutive defeat.

Even as strong as Fai's defenses were, it's efforts were rewarded as the beast eventually found a tiny flaw in his barrier that it was able to take advantage of and snuck inside. Once in, it realized Fai had begun to dream, and decided to take advantage of the opportunity that presented itself so readily.

* * *

><p><em>Suddenly the peacefulness of his lakeside stroll was disrupted as the sky suddenly darkened and a foul wind began to blow from the East. A bolt of lightning followed quickly by a loud clap of thunder sent the previously joyous birds quickly ducking for cover. Fai turned his face into the wind, to see what the change in the air was bringing his way. He paused on the shoreline and gazed across the waters, feeling as though something was approaching.<em>

_As quickly as it came, the wind died back down to a gentle breeze and he could feel the sun once again on his back. He also realized he was no longer alone on his stroll. A familiar presence had arrived and Fai, unsure of its intent, remained still and waited for it to make the first move._

_The aura Fai felt moved closer, seeming to emanate from the direction of the lake yet remaining concealed from his view. Fai watched the mirror-smooth surface of the water as it reflected the clear blue of the sky above -a shade strikingly similar to the hue of his own eyes- and patiently waited. _

_An area of darkness started to materialize in the water and then began to move towards the shoreline. Small bow waves began to develop in advance of its arrival, and Fai couldn't help but wonder if what was arriving in his dream wished to devour him. _

_Whatever it was came to a halt before reaching the shoreline and paused as the small waves continued forward and broke in tiny curls upon the pebbled shoreline._

"_What manner of strange creature are you?" the beast of the lake asked him, a hint of curiosity dancing on its words as it slowly raised itself from beneath the cool waters of the calm lake. It paused in its rise, long whiskers still dangling into the water, and trained its fiery orange eyes on the wizard. "What do you seek in my forest?"_

_Fai had never seen the likes of a beast such as this before, physically or mentally… even taking into account the many worlds they had traveled to and all of the fantastical creatures they had already encountered. But to come across one who was able to do THIS… enter into another's dream much less communicate just by thoughts alone… this was indeed rare. He didn't think he had even heard of one with abilities such as these that had not been a trained Dreamseer. On top of that, no one had ever been able to successfully breach Fai's defenses before, unless he wanted them to._

"_Please allow me to introduce myself." Fai said, as he bowed deeply before the creature as its curious gaze continued to size him up. "Fai D. Flourite, at your service. I am a wizard from a world called 'Celes'. My companions and I have been tasked with traveling through the many dimensions, continually searching for items that were stolen from one of us and scattered throughout countless worlds. I am honored to make your acquaintance."_

_The beast bowed its head back in response, small rivulets of water running down the bridge of its muzzle and dripping off its nose into the lake causing small capillary waves to expand in concentric circles on the smooth lake surface. "I am honored to meet you, Wizard." the beast replied. "I have not a name, yet have been called many things in my lifetime by others, but none in the near past. I have been alone for a long time now, since the killing of my mate many moons ago. I do have to admit it is rather nice to have someone to converse with again."_

"_Might we meet in person to further discuss the matters at hand more easily?" Fai inquired. "I prefer to speak face to face whenever possible… as I find it reduces the possibility of misunderstandings greatly."_

"_That is acceptable. Meet me on the eastern shore of the lake by the flat rock tomorrow morning just after sunrise, and we shall continue this discussion. I believe you know the rock that I speak of very well already." It said with a knowing look in its eye._

_Fai knew exactly the rock the beast had mentioned… and he then realized that it must have been watching him on his fishing adventure earlier in the day. He couldn't stop the light blush he felt advancing across his cheeks as he remembered his un-graceful actions. "Yes. I know the rock of which you speak. I will meet you there at the appointed time."_

_The beast of the lake bowed its head once more before it turned back towards deeper water. As it retreated back to the calm of the deep, it spoke once last time. "Be forewarned, Wizard… come alone tomorrow." And with that final thought, it disappeared beneath the once again mirror-calm surface of the lake._

_As Fai remained glued to the spot where he stood when the wind had kicked up in advance of the beast's arrival, he felt its aura slowly fade until he was alone once more. He contemplated what exactly had just happened as the birds returned to their happy chirping, as if the whole episode had been nothing more exciting or rare as a flip of the wing. _

* * *

><p>The beast reached its paws out in front of itself, flexing its claws and kneading the muddy earth at the base of the stone wall several times while stretching. It couldn't help but open its great maw in a rather large yawn, its tongue curling at the tip just inside its sharp teeth. It shook its head once more to rid itself of the rain that had pooled in various nooks and crannies while it had laid still. <em>Well… that was very interesting and rather enjoyable… although it was a bit draining. <em>Another great yawn escaped it before the beast decided to get up and head back to its favorite spot under the willow to rest and wait for morning.

* * *

><p>Inside, Fai had awakened, and was watching the fire as his mind replayed the events of his dream. His gaze drifted around the small room, pausing on each of his companions in turn. Everyone still slumbered, and he chuckled quietly when he heard Mokona snore loudly. It was all he could do to resist laughing out loud a few moments later when Syaoran seemingly answered her with a rather loud snore of his own. A slight smile spread across his face despite the weight of the many thoughts running through his troubled mind.<p>

Quietly rising, he made his way past the sleeping samurai and paused just inside the doorway, gazing out into the night and listening to the easing rain. _The storm is definitely weakening… perhaps it will blow itself out tomorrow. _He hoped it would. He did not relish getting soaked again after _finally_ getting dried out. He decided to stay up and let Kurogane sleep. He would awaken him at first light before heading out to rendezvous with the beast from his dream.


	14. Chapter 14

_My apologies, Dearies!  
>It seems that I have missed my self-imposed deadline of posting on Fridays this week!<br>I hope you can forgive me… but believe me- I think this chapter will be worth the wait!  
>As always- I would love to hear your thoughts on my work… so wear out that "Review' button!<br>As always- thanks to __**Garnet Kitsune**__, my awesome personal TRC Expert! (Go check her work out!)  
>See you next chapter!<br>DEATH!*_

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Chapter 14**

As the night wore on, Fai found himself staring out over the grassy expanse and thinking of his friends and all the things they had seen and experienced since their fateful meeting that day at Yuuko's shop. He also wondered how many more adventures they would have, and what fantastical things and exciting places still awaited their arrival on some distant shore.

_We have all changed since that day… whether we expected to or not. _ _Each of us has grown in our own way. Even with all the experience we each brought with us added together, it pales in comparison to what we have seen and experienced since embarking on this adventure… and that is _dwarfed_ by what possibilities still remain unknown and are patiently awaiting discovery. _Fai sighed deeply as he returned to watching the rain.

* * *

><p><em>Dearest One, what would you do in my stead?<em> it thought, as it lay beneath the willow by the lakeside and contemplated the latest developments as the night progressed. _Oh how desperately I miss you… the way you thrummed when we greeted each other, the scent of your silky fur when warmed by the sun, the way your eyes danced with joy when you would chase the first fireflies of the season._

The pain in its heart became almost unbearable as the memories flooded back. So much time had passed since then, yet the visions still remained crystal clear… as if the events had just happened only yesterday. _It has been so long, and yet here I sit… unable to go back, incapable of moving forward, and barely able to even exist._ A single tear escaped the corner of its eye and traced a path between iridescent scales before dripping down to join the rain pooling under its paw.

* * *

><p>The night passed quietly, with Fai deep in thought, the others peacefully sleeping, and the rain continuing to gently fall. Fai's earlier hopes looked as if they would be fulfilled as crickets and frogs began to call from the many spots in the ruins where they sought refuge from the storm. <em>It is indeed an auspicious sign if the frogs have decided that it is once again safe to go a-courting.<em>

Resting in the safe and gentle embrace of the sleeping Syaoran, Sakura slept, her mysterious illness continuing to plague her with fever and chills. Occasionally she would briefly stir as she fell in and out of consciousness. At some point during the late night, her fevered mind slid into dreams.

* * *

><p><em>Alone in the mist, she wondered where the others had gone. The meadow was eerily quiet… no trace of the usual early morning activity of the many small beasts that usually inhabit forests and fields. As the sky began to lighten into day, the mist remained on the meadow, thick and ominous, as if daring the sun to try and burn it away.<em>

"_This meadow… it feels oddly familiar somehow, although I am not quite sure exactly why." She turned in a slow circle, barely able to make out the trees that marked the edge of the dark forest. "Fai-san? Syaoran-kun? Kurogane-san!" she called. 'Where are they and why did they leave me alone here?' she thought to herself. She strained her eyes, trying to see through the fog that billowed around her as the silent mists continued to thicken in the meadow. Unable to see much past her own reach now, she began to slowly stumble in what she thought was the direction of the nearest trees she had seen just moments before. All she could hear was a soft whispering of the mist through the tall grass. _

_As she cautiously continued to make her way, she began to think she heard something else moving in the mists nearby. Her heart began to beat faster as her ears strained to identify and place the phantom sounds. She realized quickly how useless it was to try as the sounds seemed to echo across the meadow. Each time she thought she heard something she would turn to try and hear it better. After several attempts she realized with a sense of foreboding that she had lost her sense of direction, and did not even know how close she might be to the forest's edge._

"_H-Hello? Is someone there?" she cautiously asked as she rubbed her arms to warm herself against the cold of the mist . No one replied and the silence returned as the echo of her words died out. She felt a slight breeze stir her skirt. 'No, not a breeze…' she thought as her skirt's movement ceased and it again hung limp and unmoving. _

'…_something else is here.' The silence hung as thick as the mists and all she could hear was the pounding of her own heartbeat. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw a shadow dart past. 'Is something really there, or is this just my imagination playing tricks on me again?' Her unsettled feeling increased as her heartbeat pounded harder. A chill ran up her arms, leaving goosebumps in its wake as she shivered involuntarily. _

_She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself and closed her eyes in hopes of heightening her other senses, yet the feeling of foreboding remained as strong as ever._

_As she stood there lost in herself, she felt something gently touch the palm of her hand as it hung by her side. Her heart began to race even faster than before. Whatever it was then pushed under her palm and allowed her hand to rest upon it. _

_A strange calmness descended on her and her racing pulse slowed back to normal. Afraid to open her eyes, she cautiously felt what had touched her palm. Whatever it was felt warm and dry despite the cold mists in the meadow. Soft fur gave way to smooth scales as she gently moved her hand over the surface, exploring it in an attempt at identification by touch alone. She began to hear an odd humming and felt a slight vibration in her hand, almost as if a kitten were purring._

"_Yesss, there. Please, scratch _there_ again. That was… nice." _

_Shocked by the gentle voice she heard so close by, she opened her eyes to see her hand resting on a large head covered with a soft cream colored fur interspersed with beautifully iridescent scales. Her hand ceased its exploration as she looked at the strange creature now lying in the grass next to her._

"_Oh, please do continue… it has been far too long since I was able to scratch that pesky itch." it begged._

_Sakura found herself somewhat startled by its sudden appearance and boldness of the creature's actions._

_A slight smile began to trace its way across Sakura's face as her hand returned to its explorations. "I thought I had been left alone in this meadow… it's good to know I was wrong." Sakura said to the creature. She had the unexplainable feeling that the animal by her side was there to help her, and she felt no fear despite the size of it._

"_I too have been alone in this meadow… for a long time now, with not even a bird or cricket for company. I am glad you came along." it told her._

_Sakura's hand ceased its movement and she turned to take full measure of the creature who had befriended her so easily. Even in the relative dimness of the thick mists, its iridescent scales shimmered with a radiance that dwarfed that of the finest gems. Where they started intermittently at the top of its head, its scales transitioned into full plates of shimmering armor that flowed down each side of the creature's lithe body. The soft fur that began on its head continued to run down its crest and back, ending in a small tuft at the tip of its long whip-like tail. It turned its curious and deep amber eyes upon Sakura, and the girl marveled at its beauty._

"_Why are you here alone?" Sakura asked. "I can't seem to find my friends… we probably just became separated by the mist for a brief time, but it's sad to think that you are here all alone."_

"_Do not trouble yourself with sadness on my account. For some reason unknown to me, I have been stuck between this world and the next, unable to move on." It took a deep breath, and when it began its story, a deep sadness filled its heart and spilled over into its voice. "We were so happy together, my mate and I. Time had no meaning, and our days were filled with our endless love and the simple joy of each other's company. But then, one day, the previously peaceful inhabitants of a nearby village suddenly became filled with an unnatural hatred of us. Before that day, they had ignored us for the most part, and we paid them little mind."_

_Its voice became more strained and emotional as it continued its sad story. "They began to hunt us, but we knew not why. Several times we had to fight them off, and each time we only tried to get away. We had no desire to harm them… we only feared for our safety."_

_Sakura's heart ached even more as its story continued, and she fought back the tears that threatened to escape from her eyes._

"_That final day, they cornered me while my mate was off catching fish for our evening meal." A single tear began to form in the great beast's amber eye as the sadness of the memory washed over them both._

_Sakura gasped in disbelief as it told her of its desperate fight to get away, and the finality of that last blow. She openly wept as its story continued… how its mate had arrived moments too late. How it had watched from above, oddly detached from itself, as its mate had flown into a rage so deep that it had exacted its revenge on the whole of the village, males, females, old and young alike._

_And finally, how it now seemed cursed to wander between this world and the beyond, able to see and watch yet unable to touch or communicate with its mate, both of them now painfully alone, and unable to do anything about it._

_Sakura knelt down and embraced the creature as they shared in its grief, not breaking apart until she finally felt its pain begin to recede._

"_Wait, does this mean…" Sakura began, eyes wide and a look of sheer terror on her young face._

"_No." it interrupted, as if it knew what conclusion Sakura had come to. "It is not as you think. You are still alive… but you are gravely ill. As we speak, you lay in a fevered state in a shelter with the others you spoke of. But I cannot be certain of the outcome of your illness. It does not make any sense. You were fine as you arrived, and there is nothing here that could have affected you so deeply and quickly"._

"_How…" the girl began, only to be interrupted again._

"_Doesn't this meadow feel familiar to you?" it inquired. "It should. You, a tall one, a large one, another your age, and an odd… thing… all arrived during the height of the storm yesterday, did you not?"_

_Sakura nodded, unable to respond._

"_This is the very same meadow. I was waiting to catch a glimpse of my mate as he came by on the path just inside the woods, like he does most days at that time of the day. Many unexplained things have happened lately... your arrival was just the latest."_

_It turned its head and looked over its shoulder into the mists. "I must go now, and you must get better so you can rejoin your friends." With that, it disappeared silently back into the mists as mysteriously as it had arrived, leaving Sakura shocked and once again, alone. As the world began to fade from her sight, she thought she heard someone familiar calling her name as if from a great distance._

**(Garnet Kitsune: "Hi guys! Garnet here! Weren't expecting me, were ya? Well, I'm just here to say that my awesome senpai, JustaFanGrell, is giving me a chance to write my own version of the dream scene! So watch for it soon, maybe as a bonus chapter. So... just wanted to say 'Ganbatteimasu' and bye!")**


	15. Chapter 15

_Ahh… it's Friday once again, my Dearies!  
>Sincerest apologies for the delayed posting of Chapter 14-<br>I do my best, but sometimes Life just happens!  
>So on to Ch. 15!<br>DEATH*!_

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Chapter 15**

As the sky began to lighten and chase away the darkness and shadows of the previous night, Fai prepared himself to awaken the sleeping hulk next to the fire. _I guess I'll be extra-nice this morning and not ask Mokona to wake him… May the Gods protect me!_

He tiptoed cautiously to within a few feet of the samurai and paused, trying to decide the safest way to accomplish the task ahead of him. Awakening a sleeping giant was very hazardous to one's health and must be done very delicately if one wished to remain in one piece. He had just about decided on his plan of attack when he heard Kurogane quietly warn him, eyes still closed and not the slightest muscle movement to betray any change in his state of rest… "Do it, and die, mage."

"Whatever do you mean by that, Kuro-Kuro? I wasn't going to do anything!" he said, hoping the innocence in his voice would convince Kurogane not to pummel him for awakening him. "I just wanted to… to check on the fire." _Yeah… that's it! _ "We don't want it going out, do we?" He couldn't help but add a nervous chuckle at the end as he picked up a nearby stick and half-heartedly poked at the fire as if to gauge its health.

"Smart man." was Kurogane's only reply.

Fai turned and asked "Well, since you're up already… Keep watch for me? I need to step out for a little while."

Kurogane's left eyebrow lifted as he gave a hard look at his companion. "Step out?! Whacha gonna do… go shopping at the mall or something?"

Fai had spent half the night contemplating how (and exactly what) to tell his friend regarding his need to leave alone when morning came. "I just have something I need to go do… that's all." the wizard replied, purposefully avoiding eye contact with his friend.

"Right. Just gonna pop out for a quick drink at the local watering hole?" Kuro teased sarcastically.

"Heh, heh… in a way of sorts." Fai nervously chuckled. "Maybe something like that…"

"Why the hell can't you just tell me and quit beating around the bush!" growled Kurogane. "Is it so impossible for you to just give it to me straight?!"

With a girlie giggle and a shrug of his shoulders Fai replied "Because I am what I am. I would tell you if I could, Kuro-Dearie. But I be a _wizard_. And no wizard _ever_ gave _anyone_ a straight answer."

With that, Fai donned his cloak with his customary flourish and flamboyantly danced through the doorway before Kurogane could stop him. The ninja just rolled his eyes and grunted. "Crazy-ass wizard…"

* * *

><p>A short while later Syaoran awoke, a sleeping Sakura still in his gentle embrace. Hoping that she might be feeling better this morning, he called her name. "Sakura-chan… " He again felt her forehead with the back of his hand and didn't like how hot it still felt. "Sakura-chan… come back to me. Wherever you have gone, please… come back to me."<p>

Despair began to creep into his heart, an insidious, devious, ugly thing that weaseled its way in, despite Syaoran's attempts to keep it at bay. He gently embraced her, wondering how much longer she could hold out, and if she would even be able to overcome this mysterious illness.

Mokona began to stir, and when she opened her eyes, they met Syaoran's very worried ones. "Mokona thinks, by the look in Syaoran-kun's eyes, that Sakura-chan isn't better yet."

The boy's sadness was plain to see. "No, Mokona-chan… I don't think she is, and I have no idea what to do to help her."

Mokona stretched and yawned. "Would Syaoran-kun like to ask Yuuko-san for advice?"

The offer visibly brightened the boy's expression and he excitedly replied "Yes! Oh, why didn't I think of that sooner? Thank you, Mokona-chan… that would be wonderful!" For the first time since they landed in this world, he began to have hope.

"Sakura-chan, I will be back in just a moment, and hopefully with a means of helping you feel better!" He gently moved from where he sat behind her, and tenderly lay her back down on the blanket. He made sure to reposition the pillow under her head and pulled up the blankets to cover her again. As he stood up, Mokona jumped nimbly onto his shoulder.

"Let's go over there so we don't disturb her sleep." he suggested as he pointed to the other side of the room and began to cross the room.

Mokona hopped off of Syaoran's shoulder when they reached the far side of the room and the gem in her forehead projected the 'call' to the Time-Witch onto the wall.

"Why, Hello, Mokona." she answered pleasantly after the connection had been made. Mokona projected a view of Yuuko onto the wall in front of Syaoran. She was reclining on her lounge, a bottle of sake resting on a small table at her side, and a cup in her hand, . "What can I do for you on this fine day?"

"Mokona called so that Syaoran-kun could speak with Yuuko-san." Mokona said with a tint of seriousness to her voice.

"Good day, Yuuko-sama." he shyly said. "I am sorry to bother you, but Sakura needs help, and I don't know what to do." He proceeded to tell her about the girl's condition, answering the witch's questions promptly when she inquired about various things like their situation, when it started, and what they had tried to do so far to help her.

"I just don't know what else to do or even why she is ill." he concluded, the desperation of his feelings visible on his face as well as in his voice. "Please… tell me what to do for her… I'll do anything, pay any price, just help me get her better!"

Yuuko sat for a moment contemplating their situation before asking one last question.

"Mokona-chan."

"Yes, Yuuko-san?" Mokona quietly replied, the graveness of the situation dampening her usually cheery disposition.

"Do you sense a feather?" Yuuko plainly asked.

Mokona paused for a moment before answering, trying to determine if she did or not. "Maybe?" she hesitantly replied, a bit of confusion tainting her voice. "Mokona senses something… similar… but not exactly like a feather. Mokona does not understand this."

"Hmmm." was Yuuko's only reply. She contemplated the situation for a few moments before speaking once more. "Continue what you are doing and if there is no change by mid-day, call me back. In the meantime, I will think more on this and do some research on my end."

Syaoran was visibly disappointed that the Time Witch could not cure Sakura right away, even though he tried his best to conceal it from her.

His disappointment was not lost on Yuuko. "We will get her well again, Syaoran-kun… I promise. Tell you what… call me mid-day anyway… regardless of her condition."

"I promise to, and thank you again, Yuuko-sama." He replied, defeat tainting his quiet voice as he spoke.

As Mokona terminated the 'call', Syaoran sighed deeply and Mokona couldn't help but share in the boy's sorrow. They all wanted Sakura to be well and happy again. It was disturbing that Yuuko-san had not known right away what was wrong or how to help her. "Mokona knows Yuuko-san will find the answer, Mokona believes. Mokona thinks Syaoran should believe too."


	16. Chapter 16

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Chapter 16**

Fai's mind began to race as he retraced the path to the lake in the increasing light of the new day. So many thoughts had swirled around in his mind in the hours that had passed since his dream had ended. The going was easier than it had been the day before without the torrential downpour, and he soon found himself lost in thought as he walked. There were far too many possibilities to consider and very few facts on which to base even a haphazard guess on what may transpire in the moments ahead.

Although the rain had diminished to a bare drizzle mainly blocked by the canopy of the forest above, he still found himself being assaulted by the occasional annoying drips of stubborn raindrops. One such offending drop had stealthily joined with its comrades high in the leaves above, and made its way through the labyrinth of limbs and leaves only to drop with precise timing smack onto the very center of his forehead as he looked up to gauge the increasing daylight and precisely time his arrival at the appointed meeting place.

He paused in his journey briefly to wipe the raindrop from his face before it could run down his nose. Unable to suppress it, he laughed aloud heartily. Despite his intense focus on (as well as the seriousness of) the issues at hand, all it had taken was a single well-timed raindrop to stop him in his tracks and reset his mind back to the present. He held up his hand and studied the offending drop for a moment before addressing it as if it were an entity all its own.

"Thank-you, my fine friend... I believe I needed that!" He chuckled again. "It does one no good to _completely_ loose themselves in the problems at hand… one must take a step back and look at them anew if one is to decipher the correct path to take."

With that, Fai looked up to realize that he needed to do exactly that, as he had missed a turn at a fork in the path due to being lost in his own thoughts. He backtracked a slight distance and corrected his previous error, fussing at himself the whole way for making the mistake in the first place.

* * *

><p>Taking a deep breath, Syaoran gave his best effort to smile for Mokona. "I will keep Hope alive, for Sakura-chan's sake." He had turned to head back to his spot on the floor at Sakura's side when he heard the deep voice of the samurai call to him from across the room.<p>

"Oi, come here for a minute." he called out. Noting that the boy paused as if torn between choices, he gently added "She'll be fine for a few more minutes without you."

Syaoran altered direction and headed towards his friend who was leaning against the doorway, watching the yard and the softly falling drizzle that was all that remained of the previously fierce tempest the day before. As Syaoran approached him, Kurogane reached out and rested his hand on the boy's shoulder.

Continuing to gaze out at the new day that was dawning, the samurai's face softened and his eyes began to lose their focus as if he were looking at something far away. As he addressed the young man at his side, his usually gruff voice was soft and held a considerable amount of concern.

"You know… Life can bring you lots of hardships, but the thing you need to keep in mind is that there are people around you who care about you, and who are willing to help you through whatever you have to deal with." He turned and looked at the boy at his side who had grown to be his friend and held Syaoran's gaze before continuing.

"Don't keep everything to yourself. Believe me, it does more harm than good. We're all here for you, so you don't have to bear it all yourself." Kurogane's hand gave Syaoran's shoulder a slight squeeze before he moved it to the boy's head to mess up his hair and break the tension caused by his uncharacteristic, yet brief, impromptu speech.

"Ok-Ok!" Syaoran replied as he attempted to duck away from the offending hand, throwing his arms up in mock-defense of his newly-tousled locks. "I'll keep that in mind..." he said, as he attempted to calm the many hairs that had gone awry thanks to his friend's blatant disregard for personal space. He turned to cross the room back to Sakura's side, but paused mid-step. "And Kurogane-san… Thank you." he said, as he managed a small yet genuine smile for his usually fierce friend. "That means a lot to me."

* * *

><p>As Fai exited the path at the forest's edge nearest the agreed-upon rendezvous rock, the beast was nowhere to be seen. Fai glanced up at the still-overcast sky and judged that, despite his slight detour earlier, his timing was spot-on as usual. Looking around, he wondered where the beast from his dream may be and even began to slightly doubt himself (for just a moment) that it had even been real.<p>

He approached the large, flat rock, brushing off a few stray twigs that the storm's winds had deposited since his brief foray into the fine art of hand-fishing the day before, and he sat down to wait.


	17. Chapter 17

_Apologies for missing last week, my Dears!  
>Chapters may get delayed a bit in the near future- in part to the upcoming Holidays-<br>But I hope you stick it out with me, there is much more to come!  
><em>_**JustaFanGrell**_

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Chapter 17**

_It... is late._

Fai thought, as his eyes scanned the forest edge for any sign of the beast from his dreams. He allowed his senses to expand, trying to get some feel for where the creature may be. His impatience showed in his inability to sit still, the fingers of his left hand drumming the rock in a rhythmic score of annoyance while a foot tapped the ground in accompaniment.

Enjoying the leisurely swim, the Beast took its time in arriving at the rendezvous. Even from across the lake, It had felt Fai's annoyance at having arrived perfectly on-time only to find himself having to wait for its arrival. The beast had not planned it that way- that's just how things had developed. Its morning swim was just too enjoyable today to have to cut it short.

It chortled humorously to itself as it closed in on the appointed meeting place, still submerged as it had been in the dream of the night before. It looked forward to meeting this creature and learning more about it and quenching its curiosity.

Sensing the approach of another being, Fai turned away from the forest and watched the surface of the lake as the beast from his dream arrived, slowly rising from the deep as if some hideous monster from a bad horror movie.

_Good morning, Wizard Fai… please excuse my tardiness, I find a morning swim to be most refreshing. Pardon me a moment while I rid myself of the excess water… I do not wish to completely douse you in the process._

With that, the beast strode from the lake, muscles rippling and lake water dripping from its fur. Fai couldn't help but watch in awe of the magnificent creature as it walked past him and a short way towards the forest. Once far enough away it began to shake itself dry, the water flying in all directions in a great shower of drops beginning slowly at its great head and gaining speed and traveling the length of its lithe body before ending with a flick of the tip of its long tail.

Fai had never seen a creature that could rival this one's beauty. Roughly the size of a large horse, it seemed some fantastical melding of dragon and feline… with an elegance of movement that should not have been possible in a creature of its size. Its lithe body was covered in a coppery fur broken by rows of pearlescent scales that protected its sides and head. As it walked back to rejoin Fai, he couldn't help but notice the large, bronze claws leaving the now-familiar prints in the dirt of the path. He looked up to find its fiery-orange eyes regarding him with a mild curiosity as if it too were sizing up the strange creature in front of it. _Such intelligence in those eyes- and depth… one could lose themselves easily looking deeply into those eyes._

Bowing deeply before it, Fai formally greeted the creature. "Good Morning…" he began, before pausing mid-sentence. "Forgive me, but I still do not know how to address you. I would feel more comfortable conversing with you if I could call you by some name."

The beast bowed to the mage in return. "Greetings this new day, Wizard Fai. As I stated last night, I care not for names or titles for myself… you may call me whatever you wish, if you must." Having dispensed with the formalities of greeting each other, it took the liberty of lying down next to the rock on which Fai had been sitting while he waited. It flexed its great claws as it stretched its front legs out in front of it before pulling them back and neatly crossing them as it studied its new acquaintance.

Fai thought about it for a few moments. _Hmm… What name would be fitting for such a magnificent creature such as this? _Several options flitted through his mind and were immediately dismissed as 'not quite right' before the perfect name presented itself.

"If it pleases you, I shall like to call you 'Tatsu'… would that be acceptable to you?"

The beast contemplated the suggestion for a moment before replying "Yes, that would be fine."

"In that case… Good Morning to you, Tatsu. It is very nice to meet you. In all my travels, I have never met another that commanded your mental abilities. I congratulate you on breaching my defenses; it seems that they require a bit more attention than I had thought. That shall be remedied forthwith, I can assure you."

"I too, must commend you, Wizard. It did take me considerable time and effort to find the flaw that allowed me to breach your substantial defenses. I will not test them again, and I ask your forgiveness for the first necessary offense. I do, however, confess to enjoying the challenge your mind posed. You were a worthy opponent, one that I had not anticipated by your mere appearance and by judging the mental abilities of your companions." Tatsu shook his head at recalling the minds of the others he had looked into before reaching the wizard's.

The mage couldn't help but chuckle at its evaluation of his friends. "Thank you. It is very rare for one to be taken for what they truly are." Fai replied.

"Indeed. All pleasantries aside, I am compelled to warn you of the danger the young female that travels with you is in. Her mind…" Pausing, it struggled to find the right words to convey both the severity and delicate condition her mind was in. "… there is something terribly wrong with the young one's mind. She lies perilously close to the edge of madness. I encountered great voids of darkness in her mind- as if something had violently ripped her mind to pieces. I am amazed that she survives, given the severity of the damage. I felt it necessary to inform you at once of her state, in case you were unaware."

"And I thank you for your concern." Fai replied. "Yes, I am aware of her mental state. She copes very well most of the time, considering the damage. The items we seek that were stolen from us are the memories that fit into those gaps. Her mind is able to heal itself bit by bit as we recover each stolen memory."

Sadness crept into his voice as he continued. "However, just after arriving in your forest a strange illness befell her, and we are at a loss as to its cause or how to treat it. None of the others have been affected, and none of our treatments have helped improve her condition."

"That is most unfortunate. Perhaps together we may decipher the key to curing her illness. I should, at the least, like to attempt it… with your assistance, of course." Tatsu offered, his concern for the child evident in the extremely serious tone in his voice.


	18. Chapter 18

**One Dark and Stormy Night**

**Chapter 18**

The rain was beginning to really piss him off… or maybe it was all this waiting… or Sakura's mystery illness. It didn't really matter _what_ was annoying him. _Anything. Everything. Nothing._ He just really wanted to take out his frustrations on someone or something. _How come there's never a good fight around when you need one to blow off some steam?! I just feel the need to beat the crap out of something! _He growled his frustration under his breath, not wanting to wake Sakura or make anyone think something was wrong.

He huffed loudly, at a loss as to anything else that might help alleviate his dour mood, kicking a rock that lay just inside the doorway and launching it out into the yard. It splashed satisfactorily several times before coming to rest near the low stone wall and disappearing into the mud. His mind imagined himself kicking that irritating wizard in a similar fashion, and he chuckled to himself, picturing the normally fastidious and pompous ass covered in mud and planted on his butt while starting to sinking into the mire.

_Now that would be a sight to see! _He shook his head, upset at himself for allowing his mood to have fallen to the level of having thoughts of that nature. _Damn mage… even when he's not around, he still manages to piss me off!_

* * *

><p>"Can Mokona get Syaoran-kun anything?" Mokona asked, trying to be cheerful and helpful.<p>

Syaoran moved some of Sakura's hair and felt her forehead again. "Can you get her some fresh water to sip?" he asked, not really needing it but wanting to let her feel useful. "Maybe if we try to wake her again…"

"You got it! Mokona will be right back in a jiffy!" She quickly crossed the room and paused as she came to the doorway. "Would Kurogane-san like some water too?" she hesitantly asked. "Sure... whatever." He dismissively growled back, not really caring one way or the other and still lost in his thoughts.

She slipped past the grumpy samurai and out into the gentle rain. Her feet splashed as she went, unable to avoid the many puddles littering the soggy ground and she soon found herself distracted from her task, lost in the childish joy of splashing around, and giggling and squealing with abandon.

"Oi! What do you think you're doing, ya crazy pork-bun!"

Mokona was lost in the joy of splashing around and didn't hear him as she bounced around and headed for a particularly large puddle… that just happened to be in close proximity to the particularly grumpy Kurogane, giggling with glee the whole way.

He realized what plan was afoot too late to react to her trajectory and could only watch as the annoying fluffball jumped high into the air and just about cannon-balled into the puddle, emptying its contents and transferring all the mud and water onto the fuming ninja.

Mokona didn't think she had _ever_ heard some of the explicatives that issued forth from Kurogane's mouth. She was sure that she had no idea what most of them meant, but was fairly certain that she didn't _want_ to know either. She quickly ducked away from the muddied beast, but Kurogane was quicker still.

His hand shot out and grabbed Mokona by the ears, still cursing a blue streak and considering what he should do with his soggy captive by way of punishment for her transgressions. Mokona shrieked her disapproval, immediately apologizing and begging to be released, claiming it was all a mistake and that she had just slipped and fell in.

Kurogane wasn't having any of that and proceeded to return to their shelter, captive in hand. As they entered, Syaoran was already up and headed towards the door to see what all of the hullabaloo was about.

"What in the world happened to you two?!" He asked in astonishment, as he confronted the two soaked mudballs that entered the shelter.

"Syaoran-kun! Save Mokona from the Kuro-Beastie!"

"SHUT IT, you… pain in the…"

"Kurogane-san! Please keep your voice down- we don't want to bother Sakura-chan." Syaoran replied, upset at the _both_ of them for causing such a ruckus.

Mokona quieted quickly too, upset with herself for being so loud. "Mokona is sorry to be so loud, Syaoran-kun. Please forgive Mokona!"

Syaoran gave them both a very stern look. "What in the world is going on between you two?"

"Mokona was just having fun and being Mokona! Kuro-Meanie all of a sudden grabbed Mokona! Mokona was scared!"

"Oi! That's not what happened and you know it!"

Syaoran just sighed, expecting conflicting stories but annoyed all the same to have to referee the argument. "Ok, so what is your side of the story?" he asked the samurai.

Kurogane tried to look as innocent as he could before continuing. "I was minding my own business when this fuzzball here…" Kurogane held out Mokona for emphasis. "…starts squealing like a stuck pig, so I came running, afraid that she was being attacked or something! But, _no_! She was just goofing around and then, well… LOOK!"

Syaoran couldn't help but laugh at the mud-covered duo. "It's just mud… and I'm sure Mokona was just trying to have some fun… it's been very stressful lately. You should cut her some slack, Kurogane-san." He smiled at his friends, hoping that Kurogane would give up on his grudge against Mokona.

"Fine." Kurogane huffed. He unceremoniously dropped Mokona who immediately made a bee-line to the safety of Syaoran's side. "Just don't do it again. I'm warning you."

"Mokona won't… Mokona promises!" she squeaked from behind the boy.

Kurogane sighed and turned to head back out into the rain. "I'm going to try and clean up… be back in a few."

Syaoran turned and made his way back to his spot at Sakura's side with Mokona timidly following, still embarrassed that she got in trouble to begin with.


End file.
